I agree that wood windows have a look that is very distinctive. However, even the newer 1.2 million homes in our neighborhood don't have aluminum clad wood windows. (N Texas) We are getting ready to replace windows and many are tall custom sizes What would you recommend?

I really love Marvin Doors and Windows for custom sizes and just all around. Loewen is also great for custom, particularly if you would like a natural wood finish on the interior, or a custom clad color. Sierra Pacific is also a very good option for custom sizing and clad colors, but for a more competitive price than the other two. Hope this helps!

Breakfast nook. Want to make sure my dimensions are correct - So I think I understand that the bench is 4'6" x 6'6". How deep and how high should I make the bench seat (including the allowance for back seat cushion also). And how much extra space should I allow between seat and table? Table dimensions? I sure wish you were in my area! Thank you for sharing your design!

Sorry, I missed this question and this is way late! The height of the bench base is about 13". The seat cushion adds about another 5" and the back adds another 15" or so, for a total height of about 31".

You can a banquette or booth made by CityLiving Banquettes & Booths in Chicago. They ship nationwide and will build whatever size and style you want. Visit their website at www.citylivingdesign.com or call 312-335-0711.

this table size and look would be perfect for my banquette. Was looking for something like this 50 X 36 but would take it in the 54 inch length. Was it made special or can where can it be purchased. Please let me know? Thanks sammad2@aol.com

It was designed by the interior designer Benjamin Dhong. A similar one can be custom made and purchased through him if you like. You can contact him via Houzz. For a DIY option, you can source some table legs like these, and have someone make a wood top with a grey stain. Hope that helps! Leigha

Best to ask a window company in your area. I don't think it will. be a problem as current window manufacturing strives for energy efficiency. I believe you may even get an energy saving rebate on some windows.

Best accent paint for furniture - I bought a brand new glass coffee table with two matching end tables at a great price however the metal frame/legs look cheap, what method (or effects paint) could I use to create a better quality look?

Try using Rustoleum's Painter's Touch spray paint. The primer is built in and it comes in more colors and finishes than you can imagine! Their Universal Advanced Formula line is also great, especially in "Pure Gold." Both are available at The Home Depot.

Window Header Height in Nearby Rooms - Wondering if the tops of the windows in the adjacent space/rooms are approximately 9' or if this is a special area with increased header height? Do you design different header heights within a visual field or do you feel it is okay to change them? Thank you!

Hi Leslie. Thank you for your question. The header height in this room is unique because this nook is built out underneath a balcony with non-conventional framing above. Because it was a unique space, I felt that it was fine to make the exception here and go for more glass and thus more natural light. The rest of the windows on this floor are predominately 80" header heights with 8' ceilings. The only other exception is the stairwell window for obvious reasons. In traditional architecture, it is common to keep the header heights uniform with a few deliberate exceptions and I tend to follow that practice. Hope this helps!

Absolutely helps! We are deciding between 8'-2" or 8'-10" windows with a 10' ceiling and it's a tricky decision. This looks spectacular; we have similar situations with sunroom type 'niches' in our breakfast room and in our living room but I think I'll just choose one niche per your final comments regarding benefits of consistent header height and also the front door will lose its hierarchy if nearby windows are higher.

muntin width - Did I see a answer about the muntin width for these Sierra Pacific Windows. trying to decide between 1-1/4" or 2" for 32x60s on a large 2 story simple gable structure. leaning toward 1-1/4"

Yes, I agree. 1-1/4" is a good call. We used 2" on this project, but if I had to do it over again I'd use 1-1/4". 2" tends to be used mostly on commercial projects or extremely large windows. Hope that helps!

Yes. I think in this case it may be a few inches taller, just a little lower than the countertop height. The drawer base was designed to be 13 inches high, the seat cushion adds another 5-6 inches and the back adds another 15-18 inches. The upholstery pattern and the quality of the upholstery absolutely makes the piece. Ben's a genius in that department! Best of luck to you!

Divided panes or not on exterior door? - Love this and we are in the process of replicating it. In this picture the exterior door is ajar and I can't tell if the door has divided panes like the windows or not. Can you tell me and, if so, do the lines in the door match up with those in the door? If mine don't, do you think it matters? Thanks so much and congratulations on a beautiful home.

Yes the door has the same divided panes. The bottom of the door has a solid panel to match the solid panel under the windows. You can see it better in the photo of the front of the house. This room is on the right side as you view the house from the street. Hope that helps!

What color should be a banquette? - My kitchen cabinets and floor are in the color of red cherry (wood) the walls are light grey with off white trimmings. Should the banquette be in off white because the red cherry color would be too dark?

Merci beaucoup!!! Thank you very much, this is helping me a lot now I can start my project that I was wondering for so long. Where is the best place to do the opening on the banquette for the ventilation ? At the moment there is a trap on the floor that will be covered by the banquette, should it be on the top of the back of the banquette or on the bottom facade of the banquette? Thanking you in advance .

Where do I order the back cushion? - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this breakfast nook bench. I want to do a similar bench for our breakfast nook, but I have no idea how to go about ordering the back for the bench. Is this a special cushion or it it a wood frame covered with fabric? Who makes something like this? Thank you so much!

Table - Does anyone know what this table is made out of and it I could order restaurant grade/style legs like these and use a silestone top on top? I am worried about the weight and how to attach the top. Thank you!

The interior designer Benjamin Dhong can provide you more information about the table. You can find him here in Houzz, or for a faster response, email him directly at ben@bd-interiors.com Best of luck! Leigha

The bench is about 6-1/2' long. There's a door to the patio plus a wall space where the living room fireplace lives, and a desk built in next to that. You can't really see the wall in this photo, but you can see the desk partially. Hope that helps!

The interior designer, Benjamin Dhong designed and selected the table. The legs came from a restaurant supply store which sells table legs in many finishes, heights and shapes. The WebrestaurantStore is one such vendor. You can then make the top whatever size you like. Hope this helps!

The table was custom made by Benjamin Dhong Interiors. It has two bases and a custom made wood top with a gray stain. Here a link to similar table legs. They can be ordered in polished chrome like the table in the photo. Hope that helps! Leigha

Good morning! The total height of the fixed glass door panels with the transom windows above is 107 inches from the floor. The glass portion of the door panels is 37 inches tall and the fixed transom windows are 25 inches tall. Hope that helps! Leigha

The profiled moldings were trimmed back so that the bench had a flat surface to rest against all the way around. Because of the moulding, where the banquette met the drywall on the left side, there was a little gap that needed to be filled in with wood. To secure it, you could use any variety of different wall hanging fasteners like a french cleat, or even construction adhesive- if push comes to shove- no pun intended! (: Whatever you do, make sure it is built well to begin with, has a flat surface to rest against, and is semi-secured to the base. Hope that helps, Leigha

windows - love this space and would like the transoms....if i can only do a foot high one over my windows will that give me this type of look? i only have 8 foot ceilings....thank you so much for all of your help! you guys have been amazing!!

One foot transoms will not give you the same look because the glass proportions will be horizontal and wide, instead of tall and vertical. You're probably better off going with taller windows and doors at 7'-0" or 7'-6" head heights, if you can engineer for it. Hope that helps!

Yes, add space for the cushion. The seat itself, from the back of the cushion to the edge of the seat should be about 18" if you have the room for it. If not, you can go down to 16", but less than 16" starts to get uncomfortable. Part of it depends upon the firmness of your back cushion. The firmer the better. Soft down cushions will disappear and not take up as much depth, but they also won't give the right support and will generally just feel in the way. Hope that helps!

Hi There. So sorry for the delay on this. The room is 17' x 11'-6", not including the nook. The 17' dimension is along the window wall where the sink is. The nook is another 4.5' deep. Best of luck! Leigha

Hello, the window manufacturer is Sierra Pacific. They were custom designed and made for this house. Sierra Pacific is a great resource for affordable, custom, aluminum clad wood windows. http://www.sierrapacificwindows.com Best of luck! Leigha

What Houzz contributors are saying:

Becky Harris added this to Houzz Tour: A Family Home Grows and Gets a New Face

The built-in breakfast nook enjoys lots of natural light, thanks to the expansive windows and transoms. There is storage underneath the banquette. The kitchen conveniently opens to the front patio, where the family loves to enjoy meals al fresco.

Becky Harris added this to Put Your Furniture's Best Foot Forward

A shaggy ottoman with hooves (previous photo) adds unique texture and shape to the room.Hooves adds all the whimsy a room needs. This breakfast nook bench with deer legs creates a warm and fuzzy, endearing feeling, kind of like Bambi does.

Laura Gaskill added this to 10 Ways to Tiptoe Out of Your Decorating Comfort Zone

4. Be daring in a small dose. Want to push the style envelope a bit? Experiment with a small piece, like a stool, a side table or an ottoman, and you won't have to worry that it will overwhelm the room. Try a bench with interesting legs, a stool in a bright, glossy finish or an ottoman covered in an animal print or a modern geometric.

Becky Harris added this to 19 Ways to Create a Cozy Breakfast Nook

Make the most of storage potential. That space underneath built-in banquettes is prime real estate. Use it to hold less-used linens, cookware, art supplies and more.